Info For

Programs

Foreign Exchange & Study Abroad

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Earn credits at Manhattan School of Music while seeing the world!

Manhattan School of Music offers a foreign exchange program for current students to study abroad at any of our ten partner schools, such as the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen (photo above.)

Studying and traveling abroad is an irreplaceable experience in your education that prepares you to perform and engage as a global citizen.

Foreign Exchange allows students to study abroad at MSM’s partner institutions while earning credits and paying tuition at MSM. Students on exchange switch places with students at the partner institution as per agreement between MSM and the partner institution.

United Kingdom

A Student's Experience

Mariya Polishchuk, Violin

Year Abroad: MM 2 Fall Semester (Fall 2015)

Exchange Institution: DKDM (Copenhagen)

Why did you choose to study abroad?I knew it would be my last opportunity to experience life in a drastically different environment with relatively minimal effect on my personal and professional life in New York, so I took it.

Why did you choose the institution you chose?
I had heard really great things about Elisabeth Zeuthen, a violin professor at DKDM, and two of my friends had recommended the institution and city.

What is a unique learning experience you encountered abroad that you wouldn’t have had at MSM?I loved the baroque ensemble I had the opportunity to be in, it was incredible! We also had a performance of Mahler 3 (possibly my favorite!) with members of the Copenhagen Philharmonic as our stand partners, which was really beautiful.

How was it to have a different private teacher?I got really lucky, it was amazing. Her style was quite different from that of my teacher at MSM but we formed a strong bond immediately – we still keep in touch!

What were some unexpected challenges while abroad? It’s hard to be so far away from the people who know you best. I found myself most missing the kind of good friend you feel comfortable sitting in silence with.

What external/cultural opportunities were you able to take advantage of while abroad? Copenhagen is central in Europe, so it was really easy (and inexpensive!) to take short trips all over. I visited a friend of mine doing an exchange at Sibelius in Finland, my family in Moscow, and took trips to Berlin and Paris. Not to mention the friends from all over that came to visit me there.

How was finding housing? Obtaining a work visa?
Again, I got really lucky with housing. The student who came from DKDM to MSM let me sublet his room and my roommate became a really good friend to me. Obtaining a work visa was really easy, it came with the paperwork I was directed to fill out upon arrival in Denmark.

How has your time abroad affected your life/career path?
It taught me that anything can happen, good or bad, so you might as well enjoy life while working for your goals. Really! I don’t mean to be cheesy.

What would you tell/advise MSM students interested in the Foreign Exchange Program?
I highly recommend it. There’s no better time to pick up and go on an adventure than now.

Eligibility

With proper planning, going on exchange will not slow down your progress towards graduation.

Open to current sophomores applying to study abroad for the first semester or both semesters of their junior year.

Open to current first-year graduate students applying to study abroad for only the first semester of their second year.

Must be in good academic standing.

NO extra cost in tuition/fees. You pay MSM and receive financial aid as usual.

Housing, travel, and insurance are not included

Please note: These limitations are in place for scheduling and graduation purposes; however, exchanges are granted on a case-by-case basis and exceptions may be made. If you feel that you do not meet any of the above qualifications but are still interested in applying, please contact:

Once this MSM application is accepted, you will be guided through an additional process for your Partner School. This will consist of:

Program-specific Application Forms

Submitted Recording

You may return a hard copy of the application to the Office of the Provost or email a PDF to chirsch@msmnyc.edu.

Info Session

October 22, 7 PM (Pizza provided)

FAQ

Will I need to renew my TOEFL if I study abroad and then return to MSM?No, your TOEFL is submitted to MSM when you applied, and it is good throughout your degree,

Will I get actual grades from my exchange school? Will the grades be factored into my MSM GPA?You will be evaluated in all of your courses abroad, and each course/school is different in terms of grading with numbers, letters, pass/fail, etc.
NO, your grades received abroad will not be factored into your MSM GPA. On your transcript, the semester(s) you spend abroad will show up with grades of “T” for “transfer”.

Are there any visa limitations or general limitations for international students to go on exchange?Yes, you can always go on exchange, but be sure to speak with Michael Lockhart to be sure all of your paperwork is in order.

Are there opportunities to apply for scholarships abroad to help pay for housing and other expenses abroad?Typically not through MSM or through our partner schools, except in Stuttgart.

If the student at the partner school that I am exchanging with ends up dropping out at the last minute, will my acceptance to study at that partner school be rescinded?No.

Is there an official test to prove my proficiency in German for Stuttgart?No, but some German is good.

Am I allowed to study at a partner school for just the Spring semester?Yes if we can work that out with the partner school.

Are students in the graduate OP and CPP programs allowed to go on exchange considering the abundance of specific requirements for their programs?If this is your case, please be in contact with Caroline Hirsch (chirsch@msmnyc.edu) to set up an appointment with Provost Joyce Griggs.

If I am selected as an exchange student, will I be required to attend?It is preferred that you be fully committed to attend upon submission of your Partner School specific application. However, you will not be obligated to go if you are selected.

Is it too late for me to go on exchange for the Spring 2019 semester?It is not likely, but if this is your case, please be in contact with Caroline Hirsch (chirsch@msmnyc.edu) to set up an appointment with Provost Joyce Griggs.

The Helsinki Music Centre is a concert hall and a music center in Töölönlahti, Helsinki. The building is home to Sibelius Academy and two symphony orchestras, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra